Content Filtering
Problem reported by YS Tech - 4/14/2026 at 1:43 AM
Submitted
Hi,
I'm having issues with spam as usual, but the main issue is that the content filtering doesn't seem to be catching anything.
Example:
And these are still coming in:


Is there an issue or am I not using it correctly?
Cris Mead Replied
I noticed this too pre 9581, but haven't revisited it, nor tested if the new version / server reboot fixed anything... I'll see if I can find time to dig into this as well.
YS Tech Replied
Thanks Cris.
I have rebooted and i'm on the latest version 9581. 
YS Tech Replied
Is there an order to these filters which renders the content filters null.
I currently have the weghts set to move the emails into the spam folder, but I then want specific keywords in the subject to be moved somewhere else or deleted.
Does this happen first:
Then my content filtering not actioned because the emails aren't then in the inbox?

The Spam content filters here don't do anything (they used to in a previous version).

Anyone?
Douglas Foster Replied
You should open a ticket.  Other posts on this forum have also reported problems with filtering not working in the most recent releases, or works after reboot then stops working after awhile.

Questions on order of precedence are best handled on a ticket as well, but here is a guess:
Low/Medium/High actions are default decisions, based on total score, when no other action is taken explicitly.   Therefore, a specific actions such as "move to spam folder based on <keyword>", probably takes effect immediately, and the total score is not computed and not used.   But if you have different actions based on different keywords, I have no idea which one will win.
terry fairbrother Replied
I think I was told, email comes in then the order is..
routing rules
spam filters
content filters

so I flag spam with words in the subject or raise / lower weight then use content filters to manages those. essentially the high probability are appended SPAM then the filter redirects it to a spam mailbox and the original deleted so only I get the copy.
YS Tech Replied
Ticket Raised, i'll let you know the outcome
YS Tech Replied
@terry, apparently this is not how the spam filtering / content filtering works.
If the initial weights are actioned to move to a folder at system level then nothing else is looked at as it's already been actioned.
I quote "If a message meets the conditions of and triggers a system-level filter, it will bypass any domain or user content filters."
I'm sure it didn't used to be like this. I'm still working on the ticket to try and find a resolution but it doesn't look like we can do this any more.
YS Tech Replied
Update:
I've just been through a ticket with SM and have gained a bit more knowledge on the way the spam filters and content filters are working.

The reason the content filters aren't working is more than likley because the spam filters are working better and if they trigger first, it won't look to the content filters to do anything as it's already been filtered.
I think i've seen this because my spam filters are actually working better now and placing everything in the spam folder instead of it getting to my content filters that removed the emails or placed them in specific folders.

So, 2 options really.
1) Leave the filtering to do its work and if they are all spam going into the spam folder, choose what you do with them with the main spam filters, whether it be delete or just move to spam.
2) Change your weight ranges so certain probablility of spams don't get moved into spam, then these emails will then go onto the domain level spam filters and if not picked up by them, then onto the content filters.

I'm going to have a play around with the weight ranges and see what happens and when it starts triggering the content filters.

Spam/Content filter order:
1) System Spam checks
2) Domain level Spam checks (if different)
3) Domain level Content Filters
4) User level Spam checks (if different)
5) User level Content Filters

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